ELECTRONIC SYSTEM CONFIGURED FOR MANAGING SINGING COMPETITIONS FROM REMOTE MULTIMEDIA STATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH BASE RECORDED MUSIC

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an electronic system configured for managing singing contests from remote multimedia stations, in particular with a pre-recorded backing track. Background art

Amateurish, non-professional singing performance systems are known, which are commonly called "karaoke" and are traditionally used in public places. They normally require the presence of an animator who, by using a local computer with pre-installed backing tracks, invites people among the public to perform by singing along a pre-recorded backing track. While a person is singing, the other people listen to him/her and show their degree of appreciation either vocally or by means of so-called applauseometers or similar devices.

These known singing performance systems, however, suffer from some limitations and problems, especially as concerns the following:

- poor public involvement, privileging the singer and relegating the onlookers as mere spectators;

- almost inexistent social aspect;

- absence of an integrated system that allows a manager of a public place to set up evenings in fully autonomy;

- impossibility for the public to send, through their personal digital assistants, real-time comments on the performances, which can be viewed by all the audience;

- impossibility for the public to book for a future performance, selecting the desired song by means of their personal digital assistant;

- impossibility for the public to assign a vote to the performance in progress through their personal digital assistant;

- impossibility for the public to receive, through their personal digital assistant, the updated place list for the performances already carried out; - absence of an automatic awarding system that assigns a bonus to those who have actively participated during the performance, e.g. by voting or commenting;

- difficulty for the place manager in objectively evaluating the level of appreciation of and participation in the karaoke evening of the public.

It follows that many technical problems still exist which need to be solved in this context, such as:

- impossibility of allowing technical/functional interaction between different places where karaoke evenings take place, for setting up contests from remote stations;

- at the same time, ensuring technical/functional autonomy of multimedia stations adapted to be located in different physical places.

Summary of the invention

It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose an electronic system configured for the management of the execution of singing contests and the intercommunication of data relating to said execution, which is aimed at overcoming all of the above problems. The present invention relates, according to claim 1 , to an electronic system configured for the management of the execution of singing contests and the intercommunication of data relating to said execution, characterized in that it comprises:

- an electronic component serving as a server, adapted to control said management;

- a number of multimedia stations adapted to be bidirectionally connected to said electronic component serving as a server, each multimedia station being also adapted to be bidirectionally connected to a number of personal mobile devices of users, for said management of singing contests;

- each one of said multimedia stations comprising means adapted to carry out the following functions:

- managing the execution of pieces of music by multiple users and interactions between said users for said singing contests;

- managing the interaction with other multimedia stations, in order to manage said remote singing contests between users located at different multimedia stations;

- managing a system for exchanging information between said users located at said number of multimedia stations;

- managing said connection to said number of mobile personal devices of users; - each one of said mobile personal device comprising means adapted to carry out the following functions:

- managing said connection to one of said multimedia stations;

- entering said information through said information exchange system;

- displaying information relating to said singing contests.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an electronic system configured for the management of the execution of singing contests and the intercommunication of data relating to said execution, as set out in the appended claims, which are an integral part of the present description.

Brief description of the drawings

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment (and variants) thereof referring to the annexed drawings, which are only supplied by way of non-limiting example, wherein: Figure 1 is a general block diagram of the system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the communication paths between the various components of the system;

Figure 3 is a flow chart relating to the "TCP Service module" software component of the multimedia station component of the system;

Figure 4 is a flow chart relating to the operation of the "Main Form" software module of the multimedia station component of the system;

Figure 5 shows an example of a screen for controlling the operation of the multimedia station component of the system;

Figure 6 shows an example of a screen for controlling the operation of the smartphone component of the system;

Figure 7 shows an example of a block diagram of the hardware implementation of the multimedia station.

Detailed description of some embodiments of the invention

The following will describe an example of embodiment of the electronic system of the invention with reference to the annexed drawings.

With reference to Fig. 1, the electronic system is structured as a network, and essentially comprises a station 1 with primary server functions, and a number of multimedia stations 2', 2", 2"', bidirectionally connected to the server. To each multimedia station, a certain number of personal mobile devices 3' .... 3n are connected, such as, for example, personal digital assistants (hereafter also referred to as smartphones) equipped with a function for the execution of software applications, hereafter referred to as APPs.

The object of the primary server is to coordinate and manage the communication between the various multimedia stations connected to the system. Each multimedia station connects to the primary server in order to notify its presence in the network and/or to verify if any other stations are currently connected.

The server stores an up-to-date list of connected stations that will be visible to each active station, and coordinates the interaction among them.

Each multimedia station is adapted to implement the following functions:

- allowing the users to perform pieces of music by enrolling into the system directly via the station console, or by means of APPs;

- drawing up a queue of performances enrolled into the system and displaying it on the screen;

- allowing the users to create contests among all those that have enrolled into the system;

- allowing the users to, by using the APPs:

- assign a vote to each performance, displaying the scores on the screen, updated in real time;

- make comments on the performances, displaying each comment on the screen;

- communicate with each other to exchange test messages, images and files of any kind;

- when the enrolled performances are over, determining who is the contest winner;

- displaying the final results of the performances carried out;

- recording performances by means of a video camera, so that the pieces of music can then be played back;

- allowing the users to connect to the primary server in order to verify the presence of any active multimedia stations in other places and start a connection thereto. In this manner, the users connected to the different stations will be able to interact by exchanging messages, view the performances taking place, and challenge each other to contests between performers connected to single stations of the network;

- sending up-to-date data about the status of a single performance (whether it is in progress, selected or completed) to the APPs;

- sending up-to-date data about the score obtained by a single performance (e.g. number of votes received and calculated score) to the APPs;

- allowing the manager of the multimedia station to enter and catalogue the pieces of music that users wanting to perform will be allowed to select;

- allowing the manager of the multimedia station to make statistical analyses about the number of users registered in the system and the performances carried out;

- allowing periodical awarding of prizes to one of the users that have actively participated in the contest, e.g. by voting or sending a comment, and sending a notification to the selected user;

- allowing the manager of the multimedia station to prevent a user from using the APP if he/she is not complying with basic behavior rules (e.g. sending insulting text messages, etc.)

- displaying commercials;

- providing the APPs of the personal mobile devices with network connectivity.

Each personal mobile device connected to the system is equipped with an APP adapted to carry out the following functions in order to allow the user to:

- enroll into the system in order to make a performance, selecting a desired piece of music;

- start/stop one of the performances that he/she has entered into the system;

- assign a vote to each performance, displaying the data on the screen, updated in real time;

- express comments on the performances;

- display all performance comments that have been sent;

- communicate with other users to exchange test messages, images and files of any kind;

- display a prize awarding notification, received from the multimedia station, on his/her own mobile device;

- display the final results of the performances carried out.

The system of the invention is characterized by interaction among hardware and software components of the above-defined elements: server, multimedia stations, and personal mobile devices, over communication paths between the various components, as shown in Figure 2, which highlights the main software components of such elements.

Personal mobile devices connect to the system through the WiFi service provided by their multimedia station. Multimedia stations provide services that allow interaction with both the server and their personal mobile devices.

More in particular, the following will describe in detail one example of embodiment of the method and of the system that implements such method. Each element of the system comprises a hardware component and a software component.

A) The server comprises:

Hardware component

The making of the hardware component of the server is not a problem for a man skilled in the art: it may be of any type available on the market, suitable for implementing the functionalities of the system as described below. For example, it may be implemented by means of a computer equipped with multiple processors, RAM memory, a hard disk, and network connectivity.

Software component

The software component comprises the following parts:

- Operating system;

- Management application;

- Application server;

- Database management system (DBMS)

The implementation of the software component of the server is not a problem for a man skilled in the art:

In fact, the operating system in use is a Linux distribution for server, which can be freely downloaded from the web.

The application server is a "container" that executes web applications, wherein the software for communication with the multimedia stations is installed; for example, the Glassfish application server may be used, which can be freely downloaded from the web. The Database Management System DBMS is the component that manages the database into which the information about the various multimedia stations connected to the system will be stored. For example, the MySQL DBMS may be used, which is freely downloadable from the web.

B) The multimedia station comprises:

Hardware component: The hardware component is a processing unit, such as a personal computer, preferably equipped with: touch-screen, and an audio system comprising components such as loudspeakers; microphones; wifi router; webcam. One example of a hardware implementation of the multimedia station will be described with reference to Figure 7. Software component:

The software component comprises the following parts:

1) Operating system;

2) Management application;

3) Application server;

4) Database management system DBMS.

The following will describe one example of embodiment of the software components of the multimedia station.

1) Operating system.

The operating system provides basic functionalities for the management of the hardware and software installed in the multimedia station. The operating system is, for example, a known and freely downloadable Linux Ubuntu distribution.

2) Management application

This is the heart of the system, in that it manages the interaction among the various components thereof. It is created by using the Java programming language. It is structured into software modules allowing communication between users and operators by means of a graphic interface.

The software modules are summarized in the table below, followed by a detailed description of each module.

Software module Function carried out

TCP Service Service that stays in execution throughout the duration of the application. It is active on a TCP port and processes the messages received from the server's Application server module.

Main Form This screen is displayed at program start. It shows

information about the performances and the various buttons allowing user/operator interaction.

End-oJ -performance Form This screen is displayed at the end of each performance. It summarized the data about the score obtained by the performance just completed.

Performance-in-progress This screen allows an operator to close a performance not Management Form carried out.

Settings Form This screen allows an operator to modify some settings of the system.

Performance Entry Form This screen allows the user to enter the performance that he/she wants to make.

Performance Results Form This screen shows a summary of the performances carried out, sorted by score obtained.

Send to smartphone Used for sending update messages to the various

Message Form smartphones. Messages include current/next song, author, number of votes obtained by the performance.

Received Messages Used for entering the messages sent by the smartphones, Management Service updating the data shown in the Main Form, if necessary.

Performance Execution This is the software module that plays the piece of music Form contained in the performance, showing the lyrics on the

screen in order to allow the user to perform.

- TCP Service module.

With reference to Figure 3, the following will describe the flow chart of the software module. The interconnection among the functional blocks of the module is clearly shown in the drawing.

The service is started (310) on a thread which is separate from the main thread on the TCP port specified in the configuration parameters read from the DB. There is a listening TCP client port on the personal mobile devices, and there is a listening TCP server port on the server.

A thread is an autonomous software processing stream that can be executed in parallel with other processing streams. In this case, there is a main stream (main thread) which is activated when the application is started, and a stream which is executed in parallel to the main one for handling the communications with the other system components.

Then (311), when a connection request is received from the application server, the separate connection management thread is started (312).

The message sent from the application server is then read (313), if (314) the message is of one of the following types, as will also be explained afterwards.

- INS ESIB: in this case, the following actions will be carried out: Creation of Performance object (315); Assignment of message values to the fields of the Performance object (316); Entry of Performance object into the cache of messages received from the application server (317); Activation of "Performance Entry Event" (318); then END (319).

- VOT ESIB: in this case, the following actions will be carried out: Creation of Vote object (320); Assignment of message values to the fields of the Vote object (321); Entry of Vote object into the cache of messages received from the application server (322); then END (319).

- COM ESIB: in this case, the following actions will be carried out: Entry of the text of the comment contained in the message into the cache of messages received from the application server (323); then END (319).

- Main Form module.

The Main Form is displayed on a screen when the application is started. Its main task is to show information about the performances entered by the users, including the lyrics of the song performed by the user. It has a series of buttons that allow the user to directly act upon the multimedia station.

With reference to Figure 5, the information shown to the users is preferably as follows:

(500) shows the title of the song of the performance in progress/selected, highlighted in the programmed performance table (504);

(501) shows the name of the author of the song of the performance in progress/selected, highlighted in the programmed performance table (504);

(502) shows the name of the user who is singing or should sing the song of the performance in progress/selected, highlighted in the programmed performance table (504);

(503) when the performance is started, shows the moving lyrics of the song in progress;

(504) shows the list of performances registered into the system by the users, which have yet to be carried out. The table is updated in real time when a new performance is entered, or when a performance ends or is removed from the manager;

(505) shows the number of votes obtained by the performance. This number is updated in real time as more votes are expressed by the users;

(506) shows the average score obtained by the performance. The score value is updated in real time as more votes are expressed by the users;

(507) this button is used for starting the selected performance, highlighted in the programmed performance table (504);

(508) shows the comments expressed by the users by means of their smartphones;

(509) this button is used for entering performances directly from the console;

(510) this button allows stopping the performance in progress;

(511) this button allows showing the performance place list to the users.

With reference to Figure 4, the following will describe the flow chart of the operation of the main form. The interconnection among the functional blocks of the module is clearly shown in the drawing.

When the software module is started (401), the following configuration data previously entered (400) are read from the database of the multimedia station (402): Path of the music file folder; TCP service port; Client TCP port; Server IP address; IP address of the player of the personal mobile device.

Afterwards, if there are any data (403), the TCP service is started on the port specified in the configuration parameter (404), along with the service for managing the messages received from the personal mobile devices (405).

Then the contest performances in progress and not yet completed are read from the database (406). If there are any data (407), a table (Programmed performance table 504, Fig. 5) is filled in, and the user interface parameters are set (409).

Then the music synthesizer is opened and the Soundfont is loaded (410), the user interface is displayed (411), and the system remains waiting for events from the user (412).

With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the following will describe the event management procedure.

The Main Form module, in addition to showing information about the status of the various performances, manages a number of events that occur upon interaction between the users and the system.

Performance selection: The user selects a performance to be carried out from the Programmed performance table 504, Fig. 5. The status of the performance is set to: SELECTED. In the user interface, the selected performance is highlighted. The data relating to the selected performance are displayed on the screen. The data of the selected performance are then communicated to all personal mobile devices connected to the system. The PLAY button is then enabled.

PLAY button pressed: Button status setting: PLAY: disabled; STOP: enabled. The table that displays the performances is disabled. The status of the performance is set to: IN PROGRESS. The performance execution module is started, which will be described later on. A communication is sent to all personal mobile devices connected to the system, saying that the performance is in progress.

STOP button pressed: Button status setting: PLAY: enabled; STOP: disabled. The table that displays the performances is enabled. The performance execution module is stopped. The status of the performance is set to SELECTED. A communication is sent to all personal mobile devices connected to the system, saying that the performance is no longer in progress, but selected.

PERFORMANCE button pressed: The Performance Entry Form is started. It is verified if the performance has been entered into the form. If it has, the entered performance is shown in the programmed performance table. The Performance Entry Form is then closed.

RESULTS button pressed. The Performance Results Form is started.

Event: PerformanceEntryEvent. This event occurs when the TCP Service receives a message from the application server indicating that a personal mobile device has entered a new performance into the system. The performance must have been entered and shown in the programmed performance table.

Event: PerformanceEndEvent. This event occurs when the performer has completed the performance. At this point, the Main Form carries out the following operations.

If the performance has ended, the performance status is set to COMPLETED. A communication is sent to all personal mobile devices connected to the system, saying that the performance has ended. The performance is removed from the programmed performance table. A form that summarizes the performance just completed is then shown. The statuses of the following buttons are set: PLAY: disabled; STOP: disabled; PERFORMANCE: enabled.

- End-of-performance Form module

At the end of each performance, a screen is activated which shows a summary of the performance, with the score it has obtained and the identification data of the same, such as: singer, title, author, voters, score. After some time the screen is closed.

- Performance-in-progress Management Form module.

When the user selects a performance to be removed from the list of programmed performances, a screen appears for managing the performance in progress. Removal may occur, for example, when he/she who entered it does not turn up to sing the song. The screen can be activated by pressing a button on the console, or by double-clicking on the selected performance.

- Settings Form module.

The manager of the multimedia station displays a screen that allows editing some system settings. This screen can be displayed by pressing a button. On this screen it is possible to activate the following functions:

- enable award: if enabled, the system will randomly select one user mobile device to be awarded a prize;

- number of performances: indicates the number of performances that need to be carried out before a device can be awarded a prize;

- enable mouse: the manager may decide to enable, for operational reasons, the visualization of the mouse pointer.

- Performance Entry Form module

A screen is displayed by a user wanting to enter a performance directly from the multimedia station. This screen can be activated by pressing the PERFORMANCE button. Authors are then read from the database, and the author list is displayed. When one author is selected, the songs associated with the selected author are read from the database and the their titles are displayed.

It is also possible to enter an author/singer name via the keyboard. Then, after pressing the CONFIRMATION button, the performance will be entered into the database and into the programmed performance table. One can then exit by pressing the EXIT button. - Send Message to personal mobile devices Form module.

The function of this module is to allow the management application to send update messages to the various personal mobile devices connected to the system which have not been blocked. Messages are sent when the following events occur:

a performance is selected; a performance is started; the performance in progress ends; the performance in progress receives a vote; a personal mobile device is blocked or awarded a prize.

The information sent is the following: event type; performance status; name of the singer associated with the performance; song title; author's name; number of votes obtained by the performance; average score obtained by the performance.

After having received the message, the personal mobile devices will update the user interface and will carry out appropriate steps as will be described below in the APP section.

- Received Messages from personal mobile devices Management Service module.

This module allows the application to manage the messages received from the personal mobile devices, updating the user interface of the Main Form, if necessary. The devices send messages to the multimedia station, connecting thereto over a wifi network. The software for handling the connections is installed in the application server. When the application server receives a message from a mobile device, it will send it to the management application.

The messages receivable by the management application from a mobile device are as follows:

- performance entry (INS); enters a performance into the programmed performance table;

- performance score (VOTO); updates the number of votes and the score obtained;

- performance comment (COM); shows a comment.

The user interface of the Main Form is updated quickly. When the management application receives a message, it will enter it into a cache. A producer-consumer conversation takes place when entering and retrieving messages into/from the cache, which allows the service to enter and extract one message at a time into/from the cache.

- Performance Execution Form

The Performance Execution Form is started after a performance has been selected and the button has been pressed, or when a performance has been started from the APP. The module reads the audio file associated with the performance, shows the song lyrics on the screen, and plays the piece of music.

In particular, the module sets the button statuses as follows: PLAY: disabled; STOP: enabled.

Then it reads the name of the audio file associated with the selected performance and starts an audio synthesizer, i.e. a software module provided by the operating system, which allows digital processing and reproduction of audio files. It then opens the audio file and reads the song lyrics from the audio file. It associates the audio file with the synthesizer, plays the audio, and displays the song lyrics on the screen.

When the song is over, it will stop the audio synthesizer and generate the PerformanceEndEvent event.

3) Application server.

The application server provides the software interface between the management application installed in the multimedia station and the smartphones. The smartphones connect to the system over a wifi network. Once the connection has been established through the installed APP, they will connect to the management software installed in the application server. The functions provided by the application server are as follows:

- Smartphone connection management

In order to be able to interact with the system, the smartphones must have been registered into the system itself, and therefore they must connect to the application server by sending their own MAC address and IP address. The application server registers the smartphones into a database table named Devices. The application server verifies if the MAC address sent by the smartphone is present in the Devices table. If it is not, it will register it into the system; if it is, it will update the IP address assigned in the Devices table.

In particular, the function will read the following data sent by the smartphone: MAC address; IP address.

If the MAC address is present in the database, it will update the IP address of the device in the database; the status of the device will be set to CONNECTED. Otherwise, it will send a connection established message to the smartphone.

- Performance entry management

Performances can be entered into the system by using smartphones. The user selects a song, enters his/her name, and sends the data to the application server, which will then create the performance and enter it into the database. The application server will send a message to the management application to inform it about the fact that a performance has been entered, and the application will update the user interface of the Main Form accordingly.

In particular, it will read the following data sent by the smartphone: MAC address; IP address; selected song; performer's name.

Then it will read the device data from the database on the basis of the MAC address provided by the smartphone, and will create a "performance" object.

With the performance object it will associate: the selected song; the device; the performer's name. Then it will enter the performance object into the database, send a message with the data of the entered performance to the management application, and send a message to the smartphones, saying that the entry has occurred.

- Performance results management

Smartphone users can view at any time the place list of the various performances. When the appropriate command is sent through the APP, the application server will return the list of performances sorted in decreasing score order, which the APP will show on the smartphone display.

- Performance score management

Smartphone users can assign a vote to the performance in progress, selecting the desired vote through the APP. After having sent a vote to the application server, the latter will associate the received vote with the performance in progress. The application server will send a message to the management application to inform it about the fact that a new vote has been entered in association with a performance, and the application will update the user interface of the Main Form accordingly.

- Comment management

Smartphone users can express comments on performances. The comment is written through the APP and is then sent to the application server. The application server will enter the comment into the database. The application server will send a message to the management application to inform it about the fact that a new comment has been entered, and the application will update the user interface of the Main Form accordingly. - User alias management

Smartphone users are associated with a name (alias) that identifies the user. The user can modify his/her alias as he/she likes, provided that the chosen alias is not already present in the system. The alias will be displayed on the main screen of the APP and also at the multimedia station, when a user sends a comment on a performance.

- Management of messages to be sent to the management application

When it receives relevant messages from smartphones, the application server will send them to the management application. The messages that can be sent pertain to the entry of new performances, votes and comments. The application server will establish a connection to the management application and will format the massages for transmission. Then it will send the messages and close the connection.

4) Database management system.

The software module includes all the functions required for accessing the database of the multimedia station and necessary for the proper operation of the system. It is subdivided into further blocks for each software object used in the system. The main objects managed by the module are the following:

Author; Singer; Song; General configurations; Device; Performance; Contest; Session. The information about the objects is stored in distinct database tables. For each object, the module provides the following functions: enter object into database; read single object from database; read object list from database; modify object in database; remove object from database.

Each block consists of instructions written in the Java programming language, and interfaces to the database by means of instructions written in SQL. The functionalities provided by the module can be recalled by any element of the system that needs to gain access to the information contained in the database. The database in use is of the relational type. More specifically, MYSQL is used.

C) Smartphone.

Hardware component

The hardware component is characterized by a personal mobile device, such as a known personal digital assistant or smartphone. The minimum requirements are the possibility of executing software applications (APPs) and the presence of a wifi card. Of course, there is a display, preferably a touch-screen.

Software component

The software component comprises the following parts:

1) Operating system.

The operating system provides basic functionalities for the management of the hardware and software installed in the smartphone. The operating system is a known one, and may vary according to the type of smartphone, e.g. Android.

2) APP.

The software modules of the APP are summarized in the table below, followed by a detailed description of each.

- TCP Service module.

The TCP service functions as an interface between the multimedia station and each smartphone. Communication is started by the software installed in the station when information needs to be sent to the smartphones. When it receives messages from the station, the TCP service will process them.

In particular, the following steps are envisaged.

The service is started on a thread which is separate from the main thread of the APP. When a connection request is received from the multimedia station, a separate thread is started in order to handle the connection. The message sent by the application server is then read.

Message types are as follows:

PREM DISP Displays an award notification

SEL ESIB Changes the button statuses: Vote: disabled; Performance: selected. Displays the data of the performance in progress and of the next one

INI ESIB Changes the button statuses: Vote: enabled; Performance: in progress. Displays the data of the performance in progress and of the next one

END ESIB. Changes the button statuses: Vote: disabled; Performance: completed

STOP_DISP: disables all buttons

ACT_DISP: enables all buttons.

- Main Form module

The Main Form is displayed on a screen when the APP is started. It allows the user to interact with the multimedia station over a wifi connection.

In addition to showing information about the status of the various performances, the Main Form manages a series of events that occur upon interaction between the users and the system.

Figure 6 shows an example of a Main Form screen.

A top bar contains a series of buttons, by means of which the following events can be activated:

- Send Comment Form button (601);

- Send Vote Form button (602);

- Results Form button (603);

- Performance Entry Form button (604);

- Alias Entry Form button (605);

In the bottom area of the screen information is highlighted about the status of the various performances, in particular:

- User alias (606);

- Data of performance in progress (607);

- Data of next performance (608);

- Blocked device indicator (609);

- Vote indicator (610); - Score indicator (61 1).

- Performance Entry Form module

This form allows the user to select a song to sing. The user can make a search by author or by title song. After having selected a song, the user must enter an alias that will be associated with the song. When the entry button is pressed, the data will be sent to the application server, which will create a performance and will enter it into the DB.

- Results Form module

This form allows displaying the current performance place list, sorted in decreasing score order. When the screen is opened, the APP will connect to the application server to request the updated results.

- Send Comment Form module

This form allows the user to send a comment that will be displayed at the multimedia station.

- Send Vote Form module

This form allows the user to assign a vote to the performance in progress. The assigned vote is sent to the application server, which will associate it with the performance in progress. The multimedia station will then update the score on the screen.

- Alias Change Form module

It allows the user to set an identification alias. Once the alias has been entered, it will be sent to the application server, which will associate it with the device that sent the message. Wireless communication between the multimedia station and the smartphone occurs by means of text messages. The per se known JSON or XML formats are used.

An example of hardware implementation of the multimedia station (Figure 7) comprises:

- a stereo audio amplification system 71 equipped with loudspeakers 72;

- a number of microphones 73 connected in wireless mode to a receiver unit 74;

- an audio mixer device 75 adapted to receive the microphone signals from the receiver unit 74, appropriately mix them, and send them to the amplification system 71 ;

- a personal computer unit 76, possibly equipped with an external display 77, adapted to control the operation of the other elements of the multimedia station, and also adapted to connect bidirectionally to the server 1 , on one side, and to the smartphones allocated thereto, on the other side, whether via cables or in wireless mode via a wifi router. During a performance, the participants read the lyrics of the song being played on the monitor 77, and use the wifi microphones 73, which transform the emitted sound pressure waves into electric signals that are sent to the receiver unit 74, which in turn sends the signals to the mixer 75, which in turn sends them to the amplifier 71 for diffusion.

As concerns the reproduction of the pieces of music associated with the performance, the management software takes the file associated with the performance and sends it to the audio card of the personal computer 76, which transforms the digital data contained therein into electric signals that are sent to the mixer 75 and from the latter to the amplifier 71 for reproduction.

The system of the invention allows users equipped with the special mobile application APP to connect to the multimedia station 2' .... 2"'.

The multimedia station, which includes a wifi router, allows managing external connections to devices equipped with a wifi network card.

A private network that requires no authentication is configured in the router, which allows user devices equipped with the mobile application APP to connect to said private network. Once started, the APP will send to the system a univocal identifier normally consisting of the MAC address of the wifi card of the device, or, if this is not allowed for safety reasons by the operating system of the device, a replacement identifier directly provided by the operating system itself.

This mechanism ensures univocity of each device with respect to all other devices.

The system processes each connection attempt made by the APP, verifying if the univocal identifier received is already present in its database.

If the identifier is not present, the system will create a new virtual device associated with the sender physical device, assigning thereto a univocal identifier as previously mentioned. The recorded information includes, in particular, the IP address assigned by the router to the wifi card of the physical device.

If the identifier is present in the database, the system will retrieve the information about the virtual device and will update in the database the IP address assigned by the router to the wifi card of the physical device, so that every operation carried out by the system user by means of the APP will always be associated with that virtual device, and hence with that physical device. In this manner, the system can send customized messages to each physical device.

When a user decides to book for a performance, he/she must first select a piece of music through the APP on his/her smartphone and then send the booking request to the system. By using the above-described mechanism, the system will identify the sender device and will make an entry into the internal performance table with the data of the selected song, associating it with the sender device.

The new performance entry will be placed at the end of the list, thus ensuring FIFO management to allow the performances to be executed in the same order as they have been enrolled in the system.

The system normally manages the sequence of performances automatically by taking from the performance table the performance that was entered first in chronological order, and by sending an invitation to perform to the APP installed in the physical device that entered the performance into the system.

The physical device to which the above-mentioned invitation must be sent is identified by retrieving from the performance table the univocal identifier of the device that previously booked the performance.

In the APP of the identified physical device, the button allowing the user to directly start the performance will be enabled.

When the user sends the performance start message to the system, the system will send to the audio system a command for the execution of the piece of music associated with the performance.

At this stage, the system will execute a performance management procedure during which all other devices can interact with the system, but cannot by any means interfere, e.g. by starting another performance or stopping the performance in progress in order to start another one, because the system will ensure that each performance can only be started or stopped by the device that registered it into the system.

Thus, when a personal mobile device sends a performance start message to the system, and the system communicates to said personal mobile device a command for the execution of a song associated with said performance, no other device can start another performance or stop the performance in progress, in that said performance can only be started or stopped by said personal mobile device that has received said execution command. When the performance ends, the system will take the next one in chronological entry order from the performance table and will invite the device that registered it to start it, thus ensuring the execution of one performance at a time and preventing, as already described, any undesired interference among the various devices.

When all the performances listed in the table have been completed, the system will invite the users to enter new performances.

Some parts of the present invention can advantageously be implemented through a computer program, which comprises coding means for implementing one or more steps of the method when said program is executed by a computer. It is therefore understood that the protection scope extends to said computer program as well as to computer-readable means that comprise a recorded message, said computer-readable means comprising program coding means for implementing one or more steps of the method when said program is executed by a computer.

The above-described example of embodiment may be subject to variations without departing from the protection scope of the present invention, including all equivalent designs known to a man skilled in the art.

The elements and features shown in the various preferred embodiments may be combined together without however departing from the protection scope of the present invention. The advantages deriving from the application of the present invention are apparent.

The system of the invention represents an evolution of the classis karaoke, aiming at improved socialization.

The peculiarity of this system is that it includes fully autonomous multimedia stations located in different physical places, which can be used as necessary either individually or connected to one another, thus creating a network of stations allowing the users of each to communicate with and challenge each other.

Anybody wanting to perform by singing a song will have to register into the local multimedia station by using an APP that must be installed into his/her own personal digital assistant, which has been specially developed and is freely downloadable from specific Internet sites, and will then be able to select the desired song and send the data to the multimedia station.

The multimedia station will manage the list of booked performances, and each user will be able to start the song that he/she previously entered.

The public in the place will be allowed to watch the performance in progress on the screen and to participate by using the APP, e.g. by sending comments that will be displayed on the screen of the multimedia station and by assigning a vote to the performance.

At the end of the contest, the management software installed in the station will process a place list to determine the winner.

The people connected via APP will also be able to communicate with each other, thus enhancing the social aspect of the system.

During the performances, the people connected via APP will receive up-to-date information about the performance in progress, thereby obtaining the current scores and the general place list.

The multimedia stations can be connected to one another over the Internet, thus making contests possible among users in different public places.

A commercial management system is also envisaged, which will allow the manager of the public place to enter commercials into the multimedia station, which will then be displayed on the screen.

From the above description, those skilled in the art will be able to produce the object of the invention without introducing any further software or hardware details.